Augury
by Passionate04
Summary: A hopeful augury sheds light on a prophecy from ancient times that ushers in the age of war. Six lives rush to uncover the truth before unnecessary blood is shed and loves are lost.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N:** Beta'd by cupcakeriot. Without her, this would have been impossible.

To Sitara J. Ahmed, with whom it all started.

* * *

_Augury: an omen, token, or indication_

* * *

**Augury Prologue**

Crimson eyes are staring directly at me but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing my defeat. So, I look elsewhere; at the bare trees and the clear, blue sky, at the snow under my feet. I wonder how time flies so quickly. I glance at my friends and family, standing protectively around me.

I gaze at Edward. His eyes are on _them_.

_This is it_, I think to myself and slightly turn to face my brother. He's looking at me, waiting for my signal. I nod at him.

Finally, I raise my head and look at _him_. Blood-red eyes are still staring at me knowingly. I take a deep breath and step forward, out of our closely-knit circle.

_Don't follow me, Edward. Please._

"Bella, what are you—?" Edward moves to follow me - but as soon as he gets close enough to touch me, he is thrown backward.

I keep walking without glancing backward because I know that if I look back now, I'll never make it to the other side. _And I _have_ to make it to the other side,_ I think, clutching the silver dagger in my hand tightly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N:** Beta'd by cupcakeriot. Without her, this would have been impossible.

* * *

_Sol si faull aunk sol si rosu, _  
_ Oncu lufiru kauwn aunk aunishur swolojhs ruphrosu._

* * *

**Augury Chapter One**

I run my fingers over the front of the headstone, over the all too familiar words:

_Renée Swan_

_A beloved daughter, wife and mother._

_1965-1999_

I hate these words. They make her so much more real for me. They prove that she existed. That she was real. That she is dead. _Dead_.

"Bell, you better hurry. It looks like it's going to snow again," Emmett, my big brother, shouts from a few feet behind me.

"I'm almost done," I shout back. Sighing, I place the bouquet of flowers I brought in front of the headstone and close my eyes.

_Hi, Mom. I don't know where you are or how you're doing but I hope you're fine. It's okay down here. Nothing to worry about._

I take in a deep breath and continue.

_Dad didn't come here today. He's probably locked himself inside his room again. Away from us. So, it's just me and Emmett today. He's waiting by the car for me. I asked him to come with me to talk to you today but he refused. He said he just couldn't. He's burning from the inside, Mom. He's not letting anyone see how much pain he's in. But I know._

Snow is falling now. I pull the coat I'm wearing more tightly around me.

_The good news is that he has finally asked Rose out. About time, right? They look so good together, Mom! I wish you were here to see them._

"Bell, we should leave now," Emmett yells.

_I have to go now. It's going to come down heavy any time now. I love you._

I stand up and walk to where Emmett is standing. He opens the car door for me and I get in. "You okay?" Emmett asks me, starting the engine. I nod. Usually, while driving, my brother has loud music blaring out of the radio. But not today. Today, it's quiet.

I look out of my window and watch the passing scenery. It's snowing heavily now - I really can't see anything except the trees. I feel my eyelids droop and before I know it, I'm drifting off to sleep.

_There is blood. Everywhere. _

_Her eyes are open, blank and unfocused. Her mouth is slightly agape._

_The sun's light is reflected from the shiny metal stuck vertically in her stomach._

_A bloody, silver dagger._

Someone screams and I wake up from the nightmare. The same nightmare I've had for the past ten years.

* * *

**A/N: Leave me your thoughts. K, bye!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N:** Beta'd by cupcakeriot. Without her, this would have been impossible.

* * *

_Thu aulphhau si auphphruhunk kossirsoin, _  
_ Qeocr wosh umuraulk uwuk cinformausoin._

* * *

**Augury Chapter Two**

"I still don't understand why we have to attend school. It's not like we're ever going to need this shit!" Emmett shouts, shoving the textbook he was _trying_ to read halfway across the table.

"For heavens sake, Em! Keep your voice down!" Jasper says, looking around us to check if any one heard us.

"Sorry," my brother mumbles, leaning back onto his chair with a piece of pizza in hand.

Jasper shakes his head in annoyance and goes back to reading his book.

It's time for lunch and we're sitting in the cafeteria waiting for Rose. Around us, the other students are chatting away with each other, happily ignoring our group. But I can feel curious eyes on my back.

_Must be a newcomer,_ I think. _The others had stopped trying to figure us out a long time ago._

I look out the window – the first signs of spring are starting to appear. The angry clouds that covered the sky last week are gone now, leaving a blue sky in its place. New leaves are starting to grow on the bare trees and the white snow is all but gone. It doesn't make much difference, though. It's still cold. Forks is _always_ cold.

When I hear the click-click of high heels, I turn my head to see Rose saunter across the cafeteria to where we are sitting. She takes a seat beside my brother and kisses him before turning to greet us hello.

Where do I begin with Rose? She's my best-friend and role-model. We grew up together and shared every secret with each other. I envy her. Not just because of her beauty but also because of her personality. She's got piercing, blue eyes, long, wavy blond hair and a matching confident attitude to go with it all. Rosalie Hale is truly one in a million and I love her to bits.

"Emmett!" Rosalie admonishes as my big brother tries to swallow a sandwich whole.

I swear, sometimes I feel like I am the bigger one between us two. My bear of a brother is exactly nine minutes older than me. _Nine minutes_. We once shared the same womb and now we share the same bathroom. He always forgets to close the lid of the toilet - it drives me nuts. But still, I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world.

Jasper suddenly chuckles and I lean closer to him to see what he's reading. It's a history textbook. I roll my eyes. Only _Jasper_ would be able to discover something funny in a _history_ book.

Jazz is a one of a kind. He's like a ray a light in a dark room. Somehow, he always has honest answers ready for me when ever I need them. He's Rose's big brother and looks exactly like her with the same blond hair and blue eyes. He cares for me like a little sister. I don't know how my life would have been with out Jazz in it. I don't want to imagine it either.

"Look, Tyler's messing with that poor girl again," Rose whispers to me.

My head snaps up to see Tyler saying something quietly to Angela. The poor girl looked close to tears. After a few moments Tyler straightens up and starts walking back to his table.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a leg shoots out and Tyler trips over it, falling on his face.

The guy who stretched out his leg looks mortified and I immediately know that he didn't do it on purpose. No, someone else _made_ him do it. I turn to face Rose with a raised brow just as Tyler starts to get up. He looks like he could kill and there is pin-drop silence in the cafeteria.

All of a sudden, a student sitting in the back of the room bursts out laughing.

And then another.

And another until the entire cafeteria is laughing ridiculously. Jasper winks at me and Emmett bursts out laughing. Rose soon joins in and I can't help but smile.

Poor Tyler looks shocked. Nobody has ever stood up to him, let alone laugh at him. And now the entire cafeteria is laughing at him. Everyone's laughing but there is one laughter that stands out the most.

Angela's soft giggles.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading. Leave me your thoughts.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N:** Beta'd by cupcakeriot. Without her, this would have been impossible.

* * *

_Thu lusau si faushim aujosausoin, _  
_ Wosu wosh shu umphaushusoc umisoin._  
_ Thu jaummau jofsuk wosh suur phurcuphsoin, _  
_ Lojhs wosh shu ilsceru kussonausoin._

* * *

**Augury Chapter Three**

"Concentrate, Rosalie," Master Black orders.

"I'm trying," Rose replies with an edge in her voice.

These training sessions we have every Saturday and Sunday piss her off. Especially when she can't accomplish what she is ordered to do. The Elders think she can't master her gift because she just doesn't want to. I think differently, though. Her gift, without a doubt, is one of the strongest within the entire clan.

She has the power to manipulate.

The power to control.

However, until she learns how to control her gift, it's like a big scar on her perfect, flawless skin.

"Swan, ready?" Master Black asks.

I nod and squint at Jasper who is standing at least a hundred meters away from me. He waves his hand above his head to signal that he's ready too. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath.

_The shield extends little by little. Feet by feet. Covering all things beneath as it goes. Protecting them. Little by little. There is the slight smell of wild flowers, fresh grass and sunlight. It's traveling little by little until it's it hits a familiar smell._

"Nothing!" Stefan yells, halfway across the field.

_The shield snaps back like a rubber band that has been stretched too far._

I open my eyes and smile.

"Good job, Swan. That took only forty-eight seconds. We have to take some of the other trees down to make some extra space. You're getting better and better each week." Master Black pats my back.

"Let's go back home, Bell," Em says, exhausted from his day of training too.

I nod and bid the others goodbye. Em throws an arm around my shoulder and we slowly walk back to his car.

"You look like you haven't slept in days. Are you okay, Bell?" Em asks, playing with my mahogany hair.

"It's the nightmares. They are becoming worse." I whisper.

"What did you see?"

"Mostly, it's her. Pale and motionless. But for the last few months the nightmares are different. They are far worse. In those, her eyes change color. From brown to golden. I swear, Em, they are the most beautiful pair of eyes I've ever seen! But then they change again. From golden to bloody red. That's when I wake up every time. Those eyes are making me go crazy!" I groan.

"Shh!" Em reaches forward and cups my face between his big hands, rubbing away a few tears.

"It'll be alright." He says as I rest my head on his shoulder.

I trust him because I know he'll always make it alright.

…

"Dinner is ready, guys!" I shout out to Dad and Em just as the door bell rings. "I'll go and see who it is," I mutter, hurrying to the door.

Opening the door, I'm met with panicky, blue eyes. Mr. Hale is standing on the porch, his hair all messy and his glasses slightly askew. Without looking at me, he strides to the kitchen.

"Ah, Peter! You're just in time for dinner. Come and―"

"It's gone." Mr. Hale interrupts Dad in an emotion-less voice.

"What's gone?" Em perks up.

Mr. Hale looks directly at Dad who is setting the table with plates.

"The prophecy," Mr. Hale utters.

A plate drops and shatters into a million pieces.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading. Leave me your thoughts.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N:** Beta'd by cupcakeriot. Without her, this would have been impossible.

* * *

_Thu kulsau mauku fir maunophelausoin, _  
_ Unrozauluk wosh shu luauesw faulrocausoin._  
_ Thu uphsolin si chaumphoin phrisucsoin, _  
_ Ssinu ssrunjsh wosh zoiluns aunsocophausoin. _  
_ As linj lauss, shu susau woll aurrozu, _  
_ Sunsunsoaul si aull, onclekonj au sucrus haurliruk onsoku._

* * *

**Augury Chapter Four**

I've seen my Dad happy. I've seen his brown eyes twinkle with joy and his mouth pull up into the most beautiful smile.

I've seen my Dad sad. I've seen his eyes water up and with tears rolling down his cheeks.

I've seen my Dad confused. I've seen his bushy brows scrunch up in the most adorable way.

I've seen it all.

Or rather, I _thought_ I had seen it all.

I was wrong. There is one emotion I've never seen on my father's face- _Fear_.

Now as I stand, looking into my father's crazed eyes, I feel my insides chill. I feel something that I cannot express with words. I feel my throat close up in panic. I feel as if everything's wrong. I feel as if something very bad is about to happen. _I_ _feel_ _fear, too_.

My father still stares at me, his eyes haunting.

"Daddy?" I call out to him in a scared voice. This seems to shake him out of his stupor. Dad moves slowly, taking small steps at a time. When he reaches me, he falls down on his knees in front of me.

"Daddy?" I say again but he ignores me. Instead he takes my petite hands in his and leans down to kiss every finger. He runs his hand through my hair and over my exposed skin as if searching for an injury.

"Dad, what―"

"You're okay right? It's not hurting anywhere, right? Answer me, Bell! Tell me you're okay!" He shouts at me, frantic.

"Dad, I'm okay!" I take his trembling hands into mine and try to calm him down.

"Charlie, everything is fine. Everyone's safe. Calm down," Peter pulls my father up. "Bella, go get some water for your father," Peter instructs me.

I run to the sink and fill up a glass of water with shaking hands. _What the hell just happened_?

I hand the glass of water to Dad who chugs it down. Behind Dad and Peter, Em is standing with a worried look on his face.

"Peter is Dad alright?" I ask.

"Yes, he's fine. You children go and grab a few clothes. You're going to sleepover at our house tonight," Peter says dismissively

"What happened?" Em asks.

"Nothing you need to know now. Go pack your clothes and meet me here in five minutes."

"But―" Emmett tries to inquire but I tug at his hand and gesture him to follow me inside. "I've never seen Dad act like that. What do you think is going on?" Em mutters to me when we're out of hearing distance.

"I don't know, Em. But what ever it is… it's not good."

…

I toss and turn the entire night, unable to get any sleep. It's five in the morning and I'm wide awake. Giving up sleep, I get up from Rose's bed and go downstairs to make some breakfast for myself. When I reach the last stair, I hear Peter and my Dad talking. _What the hell are they doing so early in the morning_?

"When are they reaching Forks?" my Dad asks Peter.

"They'll be here by tomorrow evening," Peter replies. "But what are we going to tell the kids?" Peter asks.

"We have no other choice but to tell them everything now."

"_Everything_?"

"Everything," Dad sighs.

"Charlie?"

"Hmmm?"

"Have you noticed how similar Bella looks to Renée?"

"Of course I have, Peter! Do you think I'm blind?"

"Do you think maybe Aro…" Peter's voice wanders off.

"Stop, please. I can't even think about that," Dad says in a disgusted tone.

Breakfast forgotten, I trudge back up the stairs and into Rose's room with my head full of thoughts. _Who is Aro_? _And who the hell are arriving to Forks tomorrow_?

I walk towards my duffle bag and take out my most precious possession- m_y Mother's photograph. _I trace my fingers over her beautiful features_. _Her brown eyes are shining in the sunlight. Her long hair, same color as mine, cascades down her back and almost reaches her waist. Her smile is radiant.

She was mesmerizing.

"I'm scared, Mom. What's going on?" I hug the picture to my chest and speak aloud.

_I guess only time will tell_.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing. Leave me your thoughts.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N:** Beta'd by cupcakeriot. Without her, this would have been impossible.

* * *

_Oncu shu corclu os cimphlusu, _  
_ Gilk aunk cromsin shaull muus. _  
_ Thu ssirm si lujon shu kauw shu mishur kous, _  
_ Onu woll miern fir shu liss if frounk, _  
_ Ank enhilw waur if wraush shaull lujon._

* * *

**Augury Chapter Five**

"_P-Please don't hurt me. I'll tell anything you want!" The man kneeling before me is pleading. His clothes are torn at many places; his face and torso are covered with cuts and bruises and dirt._

"_Hush, Mortal," I say in a voice I don't recognize as my own. My surroundings are unfamiliar and I am circled by people I have never seen in my life. "Tell me everything you know about the Cullens," I order._

"_W-Well, Mr. Cullen is a doctor. He used to work in the local hospital here. His wife is an interior decorator. They have two kids, Edward and Alice Cullen."_

"_Tell me about the children. Have you noticed anything odd about them during the period of time you have worked for them?"_

"_I-I can't think. I don't kn―" _

_He screams out loud._

"_Jane, not now, my darling. You'll get a lot of time to play later," I scold the blond beauty at my side._

"_Sorry, Master," she whispers. _

_The man stops screaming._

"_Now answer me truthfully. You haven't noticed anything odd about them? Anything at all?" I prod._

"_Well, there is one thing about Mrs. Cullen and her daughter. Their eyes. They have a white pupil instead of a black," the man pants._

_I smile._

_Seers._

"_Master, what should we do with this now?" Felix points at the man kneeling in front of me._

_I bend down to grip his chin, pulling his face upward so that his eyes meet mine. "You have served your purpose, Mortal. And now… you must die." _

_I smile._

_Die._

I jerk up from the bed, looking around, disoriented. Sunlight is pouring in from the windows and falling directly on my face. I have to squint to make out my surroundings.

"Relax. You're in Rose's room," I whisper to myself,trying to calm my racing heart.

I look at the clock on the bed-side table. It's almost noon. _What the hell? Why didn't the others wake me up? Don't we have school today?_

I grab my duffle-bag and hurry to the bathroom. I splash some water on my face and dry my face. When I look up to see my reflection on the mirror, my heart stops.

_Golden eyes_.

I blink.

_Brown eyes_.

My knees feel like they are going to give out. I lean forward to support myself against the sink and I stare at myself.

_I am not going mad, am I?_

_These are not just nightmares, or are they?_

_He was going to kill someone._

_Or was _I_ going to kill someone?_

…

When I finally mange to pull myself together, I quickly take a shower, dress myself and hurry downstairs.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Jazz says as I enter the living room. Jazz and Em are playing video games and Rose is sprawled across the loveseat, reading a fashion magazine.

"Why didn't you wake me up? Don't we have school today?" I ask.

"Yeah, we do. But Dad ordered us not to leave this house. No matter what the circumstance is," Em replies, his eyes on the television screen.

I slump down on the couch. "What the hell is going on?" I wonder out.

Jazz pauses the game and turns to face Rose and me. "Em told me and Rose about what happened at your house yesterday. He said that my father mentioned something about a prophecy. I stayed up half the night reading the books I own about _Divination_. But I didn't find anything helpful. Prophecies are made very seldom, you see. Even in the past there used to be only a few Seers who were capable of successfully predicting the future. As time passed, the number of Seers decreased. There's only a handful of Seers left on this planet now," Jasper says, looking outside the window.

"So, you didn't find anything about the prophecy?" I question.

"No, I didn't. The only thing I know is that no prophecy has been made in the last eighteen years. The last prophecy had been made in the year we were born in."

"How do know all this?" Em asks.

"Last year, I found an old bit of paper lying beside my father's wardrobe. It is the list of prophecies made in the past fifty years."

"You still have it?" Em inquires again.

Jazz nods.

We all jump slightly when we hear someone clearing their throat. I head snaps up to Charlotte standing in front of the door of the living room.

"Oh, Bella, you're up! Come and have some breakfast, honey. You're Dad will be coming to pick up you and Em soon," Charlotte says.

"Charlotte, where's Dad?" I inquire.

"Charlie's busy cleaning and preparing the old house beside the lake for our visitors," She beams.

"Who's coming, Ma?" Rose questions.

"Some of our own are finally returning home," She answers her daughter with a far away look on her face.

"Come on, Bella, let's get you fed." She ushers me out of the room. "Oh, and Son?" she calls. Jazz looks up.

"Return that paper to your father. He's been looking all over for it. You have no idea how much value that paper holds. If it ever falls on the wrong hands, we're all dead."

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading. Any guesses about who are coming? Let me know.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N:** Beta'd by cupcakeriot. Without her, this would have been impossible.

* * *

_Sol si faull aunk sol si rosu, _  
_ A nuw urau if aushus sphruauk frim moknojhs miinrosu._

* * *

**Augury Chapter Six**

It's raining heavily now - the windows are wide open and I silently watch as the rain pelts down, completely obscuring the Hale's front yard from view. I can hear the continuous sound of the rain hitting the ground forcefully and there is subtle hint of the smell of wet earth in the air. Far away, thunder booms and I look up at the sky just in time to see the flash of lightning.

Char is standing behind the kitchen counter baking cookies. Occasionally, Char asks me a question and I answer it, but other than that, the kitchen is mostly quiet, except for the sound the pitter-patter of rain drops. I have no idea why I'm feeling so disturbed today. Something is very, very wrong. I can feel it in my bones. I pick up my phone to call Dad again just as the door bell rings.

"I'll get it," Charlotte tells me, hurrying to the door. A few moments later, I see my father walk in through the kitchen door with two small bags in hand. His black hair is plastered to his forehead and his uniform is dripping wet. Charlotte hands Dad a towel, who takes it from her to dry his face.

"Are we going home now?" I ask him.

"No, sweetheart. Not yet," he replies after taking a drink of water.

"Why, Dad? Our own house is just as safe as this one. And I don't even have a change of clothes," I whine while Em and Rose enter the kitchen hand in hand.

"No arguments, Bell. You and your bother will be staying in this house until Peter finishes setting up protective details around our house. I brought you two some extra clothes in the bags over there." He points at the bags on the kitchen counter.

"I thought our house was already under the protection of the _Prisucsozu_ charm," Em says.

"It is, Em. But Peter is putting up extra protective details. He'll be doing the same thing to this house after he's finished with yours," Char explains.

"When the hell will you guys tell us what the fuck is going on? I'm so sick of you guys beating around the bush all the time. We're not little children, goddamit!" Em bursts.

"Language, son!" My father warns. "Have some patience. We'll be telling you children everything soon enough."

Em sighs in frustration and moves toward the refrigerator to hunt down some food. Rose pulls up a chair beside mine and stares outside the window just like I was a few minutes ago. Dad starts taking to Char in hushed tone and the tension in the room has all but vanished. Suddenly, the oven bell rings and Char rushes to take out the cookies. They smell like heaven. I instantly make a dash to grab a few before Em the monster swallows them all.

…

"What the fuck are you guys doing?" I half whisper, half yell.

"This, little sister, is called eavesdropping. You should try it sometime," Em tells me, his ear pressed against the living room door.

"But_―_"

"Oh, quit yapping and start eavesdropping!" Rose shoves me down and orders me to press my ear against the key hole. I do as I'm told.

"I have bad news," Dad tells Char and Peter.

Char gasps. "Oh, please don't tell me something happened to them. Please!" Char sobs.

"No, no, no, nothing happened to them. They're fine. In fact, they'll be landing in Seattle in an hour. I've already sent a car to pick them up"

"Then what's wrong?" Peter questions.

"The man who worked for them all these years has been murdered. The police found his body near the outskirts of the town. According to them, his body was covered with cuts and bruises but other than that there were no serious injuries," Dad replies.

"But that doesn't mean anything. He could have been killed by any one," Peter says.

"His eyes were bleeding," Dad utters.

And that's it - Char starts crying hysterically. I remove my ear from the key hole to look inside the room and see Peter fall down on the couch with a defeated look on his face. My Dad has a similar expression on his face.

Suddenly, Em pokes me in the shoulder and gestures me to follow him up the stairs. When we are all safely locked up in Jazz's room, Em speaks. "I have absolutely no idea what _that_ was all about. Jazz, what the hell are you doing?"

"I just remembered something," Jazz replies, his fingers running over the spines of the fat books in his book-shelves. "Here we go," he mumbles and joins us on the floor, where we were all sitting cross legged.

I slightly lean over to get a good look at the book. It looks centuries old. The pages are yellowish and the writing at some places look almost faded. As Jazz turns over page after page, I notice that the writing is unlike anything I've ever seen.

"Jazz, what language is that?" I question, pointing at the queer looking letters.

"It's Wosch Launjeauju . And here it is!" He exclaims when he finally finds the page he was looking for. Jazz brings the book higher up to his eyes and starts reading aloud.

"_In shu wirlk if Woschcraufs aunk Wosaurkrw, uwus auru if jruaus omphirsauncu. In ier wirlk, wu kossonjeosh luswuun au Suur aunk au Sphull caussur aunk Thu Gofsuk Onus lw shu cilir if shuor uwus. Suurs hauzu mwssuroies uwus. Buauesofel, les hauensonj. Onu if shuor uwus hauzu au whosu phephol onssuauk if au llaucr inu. Thaus os shu uwu shaus suus. On shu ishur haunk, Sphull caussurs aunk Thu Gofsuk Onus hauzu nirmaul uwus. Lujunk sulls es shaus shuor uwu cilir chaunjus whun shuw auru esonj shuor phiwurs. Nilikw rniws wuaushur shuor uwu cilir chaunjus whun shuw auru esonj shuor phiwurs lucauesu shuw eseaullw sunk si clisu shuor uwus. Lujunk aulsi sulls es aulies swi uwu cilirs whoch wielk sojnofw shu lorsh if swi if shu jruaususs Wosch ir Wosaurk. Forss, shu ruk uwu. Thu ruk uwu wielk hauzu shu phiwur si roll aunk shu phiwur si kussriw. Thuor phruw wielk hauzu si crw suaurs if lliik_ ."

"In English, please?" Em pleads.

Jazz takes a deep breath. "This is a part of one of the oldest prophecies on the book. The prophecy hasn't been fulfilled yet. The prophecy told of two of the greatest Witches or Wizards to be born. The only way they could be distinguished from the others was by the color of their eyes. One of them is said to have crimson eyes. It's written here that crimson eyes have the power to kill, the power to destroy."

"_Thuor phruw wielk hauzu si crw suaurs if lliik_ ." Jazz quotes the book. "Their prey will cry tears of blood," He translates for us.

The room goes silent.

I suck in a deep breath. My hands start trembling and I feel all the blood drain from my face. I look outside at the rain as my brain makes the connections.

_My nightmare._

_Someone was killed._

_Red eyes have the power to kill._

_The prey will cry tears of blood._

_His eyes were bleeding._

_Two greatest wizards of all times._

_Crimson._

_The other?_

I have a feeling I already know.

…

The next day, the sky is cloudless - which is a rare occurrence in Forks - and there is a bright sun up in the sky. I was so overjoyed to see the sun today that I borrowed a sundress from Rose to wear, since all of mine are somewhere deep inside my closet back in my own house. Slouched against the backseat of Em's car, I quietly hum to the soft melody coming out of the radio. Em's driving and Rose is in the passenger seat, blabbering something about how I would have looked so much prettier if I had worn a pair of her heels. I tune her out. I wouldn't wear one of her heels even if my life depended on it. They are scary.

I reach out a hand out of the open window to feel the sunlight on my palm. With the other hand I pull the rubber-band out of my hair and let it fall down my back. I sigh in contentment and look outside at the familiar view. The series of green trees are still the same. The sound of the chirping birds is still the same. The never-ending road we are traveling on is still the same. The only thing that has changed is the view of our destination.

When we were kids, our parents used to bring us here for picnics. We used to play here in the green fields; used to climb the green trees in search of delicious, fresh fruits; used to wander about the only house in this area- around the 'House Beside the Lake' as we called it then. Technically, it isn't a house. It's a mansion. It's what every girl dreamed how Prince Charming's house would be like. We never dared to enter this house because the exterior was frightening enough for us. The house was empty of life and the windows screamed of the darkness inside.

But now, as I stand before the house beside the lake, it looks unfamiliar. The damp and faded walls have been repainted into a bright color. The windows are open and I can see light inside. The wild grass around the house has been mowed and the bushes have been trimmed perfectly. The lake beside the house has been cleaned and the water is now crystal-clear. It looks like Prince Charming has finally returned.

"Come on, kids," Dad ushers us to the front door. Dad, Peter, Char and Jazz drove here in Jazz's car. Dad looks excited, even though I know he's trying to hide it with all his might.

Char has a bounce in her steps. Peter has a huge smile etched upon his face. I wonder what we are about to find behind this door. Dad rings the bell and we wait for someone to open the door.

As the door opens, I'm met with the most handsome man I've ever seen in my entire life. There is a mop of blond hair on top of his head and his blue eyes twinkle with joy when he sees my father. "Charlie!" He envelopes my father in a hug.

"Carlisle, move! I want to meet them too!" The woman with brown hair standing behind the man yells. The next moment, she's in my father's arms.

"Please come inside," Carlisle tells us, hugging Char and Peter in turns.

Never in a million years had I imagined that the interior of the house beside the lake would be like this. The walls are repainted. The tiled floor looks polished and new. The furniture in the room looks antique. The house looks _lively_.

"Who do we have here?" Carlisle cocks his head at us.

"Okay, time for introductions. Kids, this is Carlisle Cullen and Esme Cullen. You may not remember them clearly but they used to live with us before moving away," Charlie introduces. "Esme and Carlisle, this is Rosalie and Jasper Hale and Emmett and Isabe_―_"

"Bella Swan," The woman called Esme interrupts my father, walking towards me. As she comes closer, I notice her eyes. The color of her eyes is light grey, but the queer thing about one of them is the white pupil in the middle.

_She's a Seer_.

When Esme reaches me, she brushes her fingers against my cheeks, smiling to herself. "Now I see why he likes your eyes so much. They are beautiful, sweetheart. They are just like Renée's were," she whispers in my ear.

I stare at her, bewildered.

"Alice! Edward! We have visitors!" Esme calls out.

After a few moments, the living room door opens and my heart stops.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the cliffie. I promise I'll update soon. Leave me your thoughts.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N:** Beta'd by cupcakeriot- the best beta ever!

* * *

**Augury Chapter Seven**

The only thing my mind registers is that I'm currently staring at the most beautiful person I've ever had the fortune to encounter. He has the greenest pair of eyes I've ever seen. They are breathtaking, mysterious and questioning; his eyes dig holes in my own, searching for an answer deep within my soul.

"Edward Cullen," he introduces himself, looking utterly confused. His voice is like honey, smooth and ever so sweet. I shake his extended hand, feeling a chill shoot up my spine. My heart is pounding a foreign rhythm and it feels as if thousands of butterflies are fluttering in my stomach. Unabashedly, I let my eyes roam over his chiseled features. The disarrayed soft strands of hair on top of his head are the amalgamated color of copper, caramel and molten chocolate. Under his designer clothes, I can see the prominent bumps of his muscles. He's not as big as Emmett, but he's not lanky either. Edward Cullen is stunning.

"Bella Swan," I manage to choke out. At this, one end of his mouth pulls up in a lopsided smirk.

I internally groan. _Get a fucking grip, Bella! He's just another guy. Well, just another very good looking guy._

His cocky smirk is still in place as his eyes discreetly sweep over my body.

_Great. Just great. As if we needed another pervert around here._

"Hi, I'm Emmett Swan, Bella's brother. It's a pleasure to meet you," my brother comes up beside me, sensing my discomfort.

"Nice to meet you too," Cullen replies, not at all intimidated by the size of my big brother.

"This is my girlfriend, Rosalie Hale and her brother Jasper Hale," Em introduces, wrapping his arm around Rose's waist. They all mutter their greetings and my eyes fall on a person who I hadn't noticed previously as she was half-hidden behind her brother.

She is _tiny_. Literally. I don't think her head even reaches my shoulders. Her brown, spiky hair reaches up to her shoulders, her eyes are grayish in color and just like her mother, there is a white pupil in the middle of each one. Her features are that of a doll made of glass - delicate and fragile. As I watch, little thing peeks over her brother's shoulder, taking in all of our appearances. Finally, her gaze settles on Jazz and her mouth pulls up in a blinding smile.

"Jazzy!" Little thing suddenly screeches, moving so fast that my vision blurs. The next thing I know, she is wrapped around Jazz like a Koala hugging a tree. Jazz looks awestruck but wraps his arms around little thing all the same.

_Jazz is another perv_.

"You have kept me waiting for a long time," Little Thing says as she disentangles herself from Jazz, thankfully looking a bit embarrassed.

"I'm sorry ma'am," Jazz replies in his fake Texan accent.

Little Thing giggles.

I roll my eyes.

Wandering away from Jazz, Little Thing approaches the rest of us. Or rather, she bounces towards us. Coming to stop in front of me and Rose, she pulls us in a tight hug.

"Hi, I'm Alice Cullen. And we're going to be best friends," Little Thing states.

_She's crazy, isn't she?_

The parents, who were engaged in conversation, all chuckle at this.

"Oh my God, is that Gucci?" Little Thing shrieks again, pointing at Rose's shoes.

_Oh God. Here we go._

Rose nods her head vigorously. Finally getting someone to share her enthusiasm for shoes with, she launches to a speech with detailed explanation on the particular shoe she is wearing today. When I get bored with their gibberish, I look away only to find Cullen staring at me. He has the same confused look on his face. He eyes are still seeking an answer.

Outside, the sky darkens considerably.

The clouds roll over the sun and block the sunlight.

A cold wind seeps in through the open windows in the room, giving me goose-bumps.

The light of grand chandelier above our heads flickers.

"_Oncu shu corclu os cimphlusu, gilk aunk cromsin shaull muus,_"Esme says in a hoarse voice, her eyes trained upon my father. His Adam's apple bobs and his head turns to look at the six of us. Even though his eyes are fixed upon us, his mind is a thousand miles away.

"Sit down, kids. This is going to be a very long story," Dad instructs us. We all settle down on the couches and the loveseats as Carlisle gets up to get a fire going in the fire place. "I don't know where to start," Dad says, clutching the small bag he brought with him, tightly in his hand.

"How about from the beginning," Esme suggests.

"The beginning. Right. Well, I'm sure you all… I mean_―_"

"Oh, shut up, Charlie! You're a horrible storyteller. Let _me_ tell you kids the story," Esme cuts Dad off.

As the wood crackles and sparks appear, Esme starts her story. "To question our existence would be questioning the nature. We are as normal as the plants outside, as the dark sky above our heads, as the other creatures that freely roam this planet. The humans call us Mutants and Superhumans. They think that there is something in our genetic makeup that enables us to do extraordinary things. And honestly, they are right up to some extent. We are humans. We have blood flowing through our veins just like they do. We can't live without air the same way they can't. Our heart beats the same way their hearts do. It's all the same. The only difference between us is that we believe in magic and they don't. Magic exists. Magic makes us who we are. Magic makes us different from them. Magic makes us superhumans. Or rather, as we call it, witches and wizards―"

"Sorry to interrupt you, Mrs. Cullen, but we know all that. What we want to know is what happened a few days ago. What is the danger? What prophecy?" Em questions.

"I'm getting there, sweetheart. And please call me Esme," she says calmly, as if expecting Em's interruption. "Now as we all know, the Seers, the Spellcasters and the Gifted Ones make up the wizard world. The Seers are the witches of supposed supernatural insight who sees visions of the future. The Spellcasters are the witches who, as the name suggests, cast spells, enchantments and charms. The Gifted Ones are the witches who have exceptional ability or powers."

"Yes, Ma, I'm sure we all know these things. Can we please move on?" Cullen whines.

"Oh, okay! Spoil my entire fun why don't you," Esme mutters under her breath.

Dad suddenly gets up and moves from one window to the other, closing the window panes and pulling the curtains close. After doing that, he checks if the door are securely locked or not. When he finishes, he moves back to his place on the couch and brings out the small bag he had been clutching tightly for the past couple of minutes.

"Charlie, it's time," Esme reminds Dad.

He slowly nods and opens the bag to reveal a small wooden box, which looks centuries old. There are intricate carvings of flowers on the box. Dad takes a deep breath and gradually opens the box. Inside the box, there seems to be an ancient scroll of paper. Dad audibly gulps and passes the scroll to Jazz with trembling hands.

"Charlie, what―?" Jazz looks horrified.

"Take it, Son. But handle it very carefully. It's extremely delicate." When Jazz doesn't take it, Dad sighs. "I just want you to read aloud what's written on the paper and then translate it. My Wosch Launjeauju is a bit rusty, you see."

Finally, Jazz reaches out a shaking hand to take the scroll from Dad and carefully unrolls it. His crystal, blue eyes becomes wide with shock and he lets out a small gasp. "Charlie, this is_―_ "

"The last prophecy ever made. I know. Now, I want you to read it aloud."

His eyes still wide, he coughs to clear his throat and then starts reading:

"_Sol si faull aunk sol si rosu,  
Oncu lufiru kauwn aunk aunishur swolojhs ruphrosu.  
Thu aulphhau si auphphruhunk kossirsoin,  
Qeocr wosh umuraulk uwuk cinformausoin.  
Thu lusau si faushim aujosausoin,  
Wosu wosh shu umphaushusoc umisoin.  
Thu jaummau jofsuk wosh suur phurcuphsoin,  
Lojhs wosh shu ilsceru kussonausoin.  
Thu kulsau mauku fir maunophelausoin,  
Unrozauluk wosh shu luauesw faulrocausoin.  
Thu uphsolin si chaumphoin phrisucsoin,  
Ssinu ssrunjsh wosh zoiluns aunsocophausoin.  
As linj lauss, shu susau woll aurrozu,  
Sunsunsoaul si aull, onclekonj au sucrus haurliruk onsoku.  
Oncu shu corclu os cimphlusu,  
Gilk aunk cromsin shaull muus.  
Thu ssirm si lujon shu kauw shu mishur kous,  
Onu woll miern fir shu liss if frounk,  
Ank enhilw waur if wraush shaull lujon.  
Sol si faull aunk sol si rosu,  
A nuw urau if aushus sphruauk frim moknojhs miinrosu."_

"I need a paper and a pen," Jazz says.

"I'll get it," Little Thing zooms past us and returns with a paper and pen in hand. Jazz settles down beside the center table on the floor and starts translating the prophecy. The room is mostly quiet, except for the sound Jazz's pen scratching the surface of the paper. Occasionally, Jazz asks my father and Carlisle for help, but other than that, it's silent. It seems that every one is quietly awaiting the translation.

"Done," Jazz utters, after what seems like an eternity. He puts his pen down and starts reading his translation aloud.

"_Six to fall and six to rise,_  
_Once before dawn and another twilight reprise._  
_The alpha to apprehend distortion,_  
_Quick with emerald eyed confirmation._  
_The beta to fathom agitation,_  
_Wise with the empathetic emotion._  
_The gamma gifted with seer perception,_  
_Light with the obscure destination._  
_The delta made for manipulation,_  
_Unrivaled with the beauty fabrication._  
_The epsilon to champion protection,_  
_Stone strength with violent anticipation._  
_At long last, the zeta will arrive,_  
_Sentential to all, including a secret harbored inside._  
_Once the circle is complete,_  
_Gold and crimson shall meet._  
_The storm to begin the day the mother dies,_  
_One will mourn for the loss of friend,_  
_And unholy war of wrath shall begin._  
_Six to fall and six to rise,_  
_A new era of ashes spread from midnight moonrise_."

Everyone in the room takes breath as one.

"The prophecy refers to us, doesn't it?" Cullen's voice sounds sure. He isn't questioning - he is seeking confirmation.

Sitting quietly in the corner of the couch, Esme nods. "The first part of the prophecy is fulfilled. And the second part is beginning as we speak."

"What second part?" Rose asks.

"And unholy war of wrath shall begin," Esme utters.

"How can you be so sure, Ma?" Little Things moves beside her mother and takes her hands in hers.

"Because I'm the Seer who predicted it."

* * *

**A/N: To all the people living in the east coast, please know that prayers are with you. Can you figure out the prophecy? Let me know your thoughts.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N:** Beta'd by cupcakeriot. Without her, this would have been impossible.

* * *

**Augury Chapter Eight**

"I remember that day clearly. It was a cold night in early January. Carlisle was working over-time at the hospital and Esme was alone in the house, hugely pregnant with Alice and soothing a hysterical little Edward. It was utter chaos, I tell you," Dad chuckles.

"You were the loudest little baby on Earth," Esme tells Edward, who scowls at her.

"Thank God Jasper was born two months after Edward was. Otherwise, I would have gone mad a long time ago. Jasper was the only one who could shut him up," Carlisle smiles at Jazz.

"Anyway, I was dropping off some cookies Renée had made the day before. Just as I was about to leave, I heard a hoarse voice calling my name. When I looked back, I saw Esme on the floor, shaking uncontrollably. Her eyes were rolling back into her head and, for a moment, I thought she was having a heart attack. And then she started taking in that same haunting voice. It wasn't until the time she finished that I understood that she had just created a prophecy." Dad gestures Jazz to pass him the paper containing the translated prophecy. Jazz quietly hands him the paper.

"_Six to fall and six to rise, once before dawn and another twilight reprise_," Dad reads from the small piece of paper.

I look around the room, taking in every one's faces. Sitting beside me, Em looks like he's thinking very hard about something. Rose is unconsciously playing with the ends of her hair- a nervous habit. Jazz is looking down at his intertwined hands. Little Thing is slouched against the couch, slightly frowning. The parents are all staring at Dad, waiting for him to continue. Finally, my gaze falls on Cullen. He is impatiently running his hand through his hair, making it messier. As if sensing my eyes on him, he turns to look at me; I look away, blushing.

"_The alpha to apprehend distortion, quick with emerald eyed confirmation_."

"The little hints given here and there make the meaning of the prophecy pretty obvious. This line refers to someone with green eyes and Edward is the only one present here who matches that description. He is referred to as the alpha because he is the first born among you six. He can easily apprehend distortion, which means he can see through lies," Dad explains.

"Dude, what's your gift?" Em asks Cullen with awe.

"I'm a telepath," Cullen replies proudly.

"You can read minds?" I blurt out. _Shit_.

"Yes," he answers me after a moment. "But that's only half of it," he says and turns his head to look at Em.

"Whoa! How'd you do _that_?" Em exclaims.

"What'd he do?" I question.

"He talked to me… inside my head." Em whispers, his hands patting his head as if checking for a hole through which Cullen could have broken into his head.

"Edward can read the thoughts of another human being and can transmit his own to other human beings as well," Esme explains.

"Please continue, Charlie," Carlisle cuts in.

"The beta is obviously Jasper as he is the second to be born. He is gifted with the powers of empathy which means he is capable of sensing and controlling the emotions of others around him. The gamma is Alice and she is gifted with the eye of a seer which enables her to predict the future. Rose is the delta, fourth to be born. She is gifted with the power to control the physical form of any creature, living or dead. Next, Emmett, the epsilon. He is gifted with the power of a shield which enables him protect people. In other words, no one can get close to him or anyone he wishes to protect, if he doesn't want it. And lastly―" Dad stops short. His eyes come up to meet mine. "_At long last, the zeta will arrive, sentential to all, including a secret harbored inside_," Dad utters these words without seeing the paper, as if he's got them memorized.

"What is Bella's power?" Cullen demands.

"Her power is exactly the opposite of Emmett's. Bella can block out any power that seeks to harm her or anyone near her – she's immune to all of our powers except for Jasper and Emmett and _any_ Seer's." Esme says. I'm only half-listening as my mind is too busy obsessing over something else.

"A secret harbored inside?" I wonder aloud.

Dad nods, refusing to meet my eye.

"What secret?" I question.

"How's he supposed to know? You're the one hiding the secret. Came on, tell us, Bell, what's the secret?" Em asks in a teasing tone.

"I don't know," I whisper, completely blank. And then something clicks. "That is it, isn't it? That is why they stole the prophecy, whoever they are. They want to know the secret!" I cry out.

"Bell, listen to me―" Dad starts but he is cut off by Em.

"Hold on a minute. If the prophecy is stolen, then what is this?" Em points at the scroll of paper lying on the table.

"It's an exact replica of the original prophecy, Em. This was made just a few days after the original prophecy was created because we knew that the Volturi would come to steal it," Peter tells Em.

"The Volturi?" Rose whispers.

"Yes, the Volturi," Dad sighs. "They are a coven of witches and wizards just like we are. The leader of the coven is a man called Aro Volturi. The Volturi clan is the most feared clan in the world. The most feared…ever."

"Why are they so feared?" I question.

Dad takes in a deep breath and looks me straight in the eyes. "Bell, Aro Volturi is cursed with the power to kill. Hundreds of witches and wizards and humans have lost their lives in his hands."

"Has no one ever attempted to kill him?" Cullen asks Dad.

"Yes, they have. But in the end, they've all failed. You see, Aro Volturi is cursed with eternity as well."

"What?" Em frowns.

"Aro Volturi is immortal," Dad says, his fisted hands trembling with fury.

For a moment, there is complete silence in the room.

"Did he kill my mother?" I finally question.

"Yes," Dad whispers reluctantly.

And that's all it takes. Suddenly, I find myself constrained in someone else's body but I can still feel the soft leather of the couch against my back. I can hear everyone's voices but I can't see them. Darkness surrounds me. I scream and shout and try to break my way free but it doesn't work. I'm trapped. It feels as if my mind is in a one place and my body is in another.

_Let me go!_

_Not so easily, little one. Don't you think I noticed when you took a sneak peek into my head? It's my turn to look into yours._

"Protecting the prophecy and its creator was our main objective. So, we hid the original prophecy in a place no one would ever think of looking. It was protected with the highest level of protection our Spell-casters could provide. We sent Esme and her family into hiding in a remote place where we were sure _he_ would never find them," I hear Charlotte say.

_Let me out!_

I continue to struggle against my captor.

"But it didn't stop them. Eight years after the prophecy was made, they decided to show up. How they knew of the prophecy, we may never know. At first, we thought that we could make him understand that he had no threat here. But it soon turned into a fight and it only went downhill from there. It turned into a bloodbath. Countless witches and wizards had to sacrifice their lives in order to protect the prophecy. In the end, we won. They were down to a small number and the Volturi decided to retreat. The prophecy was safe but we had to pay a huge price for it," Peter says.

"_Once the circle is complete, gold and crimson shall meet_," Carlisle utters.

"Gold and crimson?" Cullen queries.

"The tale of the two greatest wizards to be born. One is supposed to have golden colored eyes and the other is supposed to have red," Carlisle explains.

_Golden eyes. You really are as beautiful as your blessed mother. Too bad I had to kill her. Too bad I have to kill you too._

"Aro Volturi is one of them, isn't he?" Jazz asks, just for clarification.

"Yes," Esme answers this time. "_The storm to begin the day the mother dies, one will mourn for the loss of friend_,"

_And unholy war of wrath shall begin. _He croons the last words into my ear. He lets me go and I fall back – back into my body, back into reality, back into my suddenly frightening life.

"_And unholy war of wrath shall begin_," I finish for Esme, repeating the words that were whispered into my mind. Every one turns to look at me, shock apparent on their faces.

"Bell, you're eyes… they… they're―" Em stammers.

"Golden. I know," I whisper. I turn my head to look at Dad. "He knows everything. He's preparing for war."

Dad sucks in a deep breath. "Well then, we won't go down without a fight."

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing. It means a lot to me. I'm sorry for being late. I would love to know your thoughts about this chapter**.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N:** Beta'd by cupcakeriot. Without her, this would have been impossible.

* * *

**Augury Chapter Nine**

It's almost noon, but the sky doesn't look it. It looks like it does during twilight- almost dark and frighteningly beautiful.

_Twilight._

Memories of a different time flood my mind, crumbling all my defenses to dust. A searing pain pierces through my heart, making me immobile. Fading images flash before my eyes and a familiar, yet very foreign, voice rings in my ears.

"_It's twilight," she whispered, as if talking to herself._

"_Momma, what's twilight?" _

_We were sitting on the swing in our backyard. She was slowly pushing us back and forth and I was sitting on her lap, my head resting against her chest. Emmett was snoring away on my shoulder. When I voiced my question, she scrunched up her brows and brought up one finger to her chin, feigning to be in deep thought. _

_After a moment, she replied to my question. "It's the end of a day and the beginning of a night," she said. "Or there's dawn, the beginning of a day and the end of a night," she added after a while. She ran her hand through Emmett's hair and caressed my cheek with her other hand. _

My breathing accelerates as I remember.

"_Twilight and dawn are the times between day and night. It's only a few priceless minutes when the earth is neither completely lit nor completely dark. Dawn brings about the end of darkness, brings about the end of another day and is the first sign to the start of a new day, new light, and new beginnings."_

"_What if it's the other way around? The start of the night?" I ask, fear evident in my voice. I was always afraid of the dark._

"_Darkness is nothing to be scared of, Bella. Darkness is nothing but utter emptiness. The more you fear it, the more it will consume you."_

_I looked up at her in confusion._

"_Never mind what I just said. Just remember this, that light will always come, even through the darkest hours, even when it is unwanted. Light will always come," she repeats, resting her chin on top of my head after kissing it lightly._

"War?" Em's incredulous voice brings me out of my trance.

Abruptly, Dad stands and walks to the fireplace. Crouching down with his back to us, he slowly nods.

"Dad, you can't be serious! We can't have a war in _Forks_! It's impossible!" Em bellows, standing up as well.

"We have told you nothing but the truth, Emmett. And it's not impossible; it has happened before and it will happen again."

I begin to suck in deep breaths and my throat closes up in panic.

"Dad―"

"A war is upon us whether we like it or not," Esme interrupts Em. "I can feel it."

"But―"

"Damn it, Em, look at my eyes! They're _golden_! It's real. _It's all real_. He spoke to me. H-he's c-coming, Em. He's coming."

All of a sudden, my limbs start to tremble and my voice sounds like someone's choking me. Alarmed, Em sits back down and takes my shaking hands in his. "Bell, what's happening? Are you okay?" he whispers, sounding desperate.

"Move aside, Emmett. I think she's having an anxiety attack." Carlisle comes up behind Em. Dad's not much far behind him.

"Calm down and take a deep breath, Bella," Carlisle instructs. I try to do as I'm told, but fail. It feels as if something is stuck in my throat and is blocking my air passage. My nails dig holes through the leather of the couch but by this point, I am beyond caring. I just want_ this_ to _stop_.

"Carlisle, it's not helping!" Dad yells, his voice laced with fear.

"She's not calming down. Can you go and grab my briefcase, Alice?" Carlisle asks, checking my pulse. In my peripheral vision, I watch Little Thing shot down the hallway and return with a small black briefcase in her hand.

Opening the briefcase, Carlisle takes an injection out and readies it to puncture a hole through my skin. I let out a noise which could pass as a whimper.

"Don't do that! She's afraid of needles!" Em swiftly shifts to his protective mode.

"I have to do it, Emmett. It'll only feel a pinch," he tells me, positioning my arm on his knee.

After what could be only described as an ant's bite, I feel myself drowning. My vision starts to fade and within minutes I'm dreaming peacefully. The last thing I remember is a pair of green eyes staring at me with concern. Or maybe that was my imagination.

…

I not awake but I'm not asleep either. My head is aching but I don't really care about that. I'm too busy trying to comprehend the words I'm hearing.

"Is she alright, Carlisle?" I hear the panicky voice of my father ask.

"Charlie, she's fine. Bella had a rough day. Hell, we all had a rough day! I expect that she'll be up in a few minutes," Carlisle answers.

Dad lets out a sigh.

"Are _you_ okay, Charlie?"

Dad chuckles and then answers. "How can I be okay, Carlisle? How can anyone of us be okay, knowing that we are the ones who are pushing our children towards death?"

"Is there no other option?" Carlisle questions.

"We could have attempted to run, but it'd be no use. They would always find us. It's like a never-ending game."

"We cannot win this war, Charlie. At least, not alone."

"You're wrong. We can _never_ win this war. The only thing we would accomplish by involving others is drag them down along with us. We won't do that. I would never wish this fate upon anyone."

"But the kids?"

"They are involved in this no matter what. If we die in this war, they'll still have to continue to fight for their lives. Aro Volturi will never stop."

"Bella is the only one he wants, right?"

I hear Dad gasp.

"No, Charlie, I didn't mean it like that. I love Bella as one of my own and I would happily die fighting for her."

"I know, Carlisle, I know," Dad sounds defeated.

"There's one more thing I wanted to ask you, Charlie," Carlisle speaks after a moment.

"What is it?"

"What exactly did Bella mean when she said that _he_ spoke to her?"

"I don't have an answer to that question, Carlisle. We'll have to ask her. But I do have my theories."

"Want to share some?"

Dad chuckles and then answers, "You see, I have spent the last decade going over and over the one prophecy and-"

"Why would you do that?"

"I'm her father, Carlisle. Do you think this is the first time I've seen gold flash across her eyes?"

"You knew? All this time you knew and you never told any of us?" Carlisle shouts in outrage.

"The first time I took her in my hands, her eyes were gold. And that's when I knew that the one prophecy was halfway fulfilled."

"Why didn't you tell us? We could have―"

"You could have done nothing. Carlisle, the only reason why I kept my mouth shut was for my Bella's survival. Do you think the Volturi would have let my little baby live if they knew that she was the second witch that the one prophecy had told of?"

"You're right. They would have never let Bella live for this long. I'm sorry for shouting at you."

"It's okay, Carlisle."

"Now tell me some of your theories."

Dad takes a deep breath. "I suspect they share some sort of connection."

"What connection?"

"Arweirrr"

"The Arweirrr bond? But isn't that only present between twins?"

"Don't you remember? Frim shu iessoku, shuw mauw lu koffuruns. Bes frim shu onsoku shuw auru―"

"Halves of the whole," Carlisle finishes for Dad, sounding as if he just realized what Dad was talking about.

"Carlisle, you understand what this means right?"

"They have absolute control over each other."

"Yes, they do," Dad agrees as my eyes flutter open.

"Dad?" I call out, in a hoarse voice.

"I'm right here, Bell," Dad shoots up and hurries to help me sit up on the bed.

"What happened?" I ask, blinking in the bright light.

"You were having an anxiety attack. I had to sleep induce you to get you to calm down," Carlisle smiles at me, coming up behind Dad.

"Anxiety attack?"

"Yes, but don't worry. It's understandable, given the situation."

"Bell, are you feeling alright?" Dad asks, feeling my forehead.

"I'm fine, Dad. Carlisle just said so," I answer him.

"Um... Bell, do you mind if we ask you a few questions? I mean are you feeling up for it?"

"Dad, you're making me feel like this is some kind of police interrogation. And you don't need my permission to ask me questions," I tell him.

Dad chuckles, then sighs deeply, resigned. "How did you know about what he is planning to do?"

I gulp. Leave it to Dad to bring out the big guns in the first show.

"Dad, I don't think I can explain it in words. It felt as if I was trapped inside his body. How in hell is that even possible? Is he a manipulator like Rose too? No, that wouldn't make sense because he wasn't controlling me. It felt as if he had me locked away somewhere." I ramble away.

"So, he wasn't controlling you?"

"No, it didn't feel like that."

"Has this happened before?"

"Once, a few days ago. That time wasn't as terrifying as this one. That time I was the one looking through his eyes."

"So, whenever this happens, you can see and hear whatever he's seeing and hearing?"

"Yes," I say as Dad stares at me imploringly. I could almost see the wheels turning behind his eyes.

"And vise-versa?"

I nod.

"Okay, enough for today. Bell, do you want me to send your lunch up?" Dad asks, standing up to leave.

"Yes, please," I answer. I don't have any energy left in me to stand up.

After they both leave, I sigh and fall back down on the soft pillows. I don't recognize the room so I guess that I'm still in the house beside the lake. Closed boxes were scattered all around the room. It would take them a hell lot of time to get settled. A few minutes later, I hear the door open and look up to see who it is.

"Do you mind if I get my suitcase? It got mixed up with all the boxes," Cullen says, peeking through the doorway. I wave my hand for him to enter. He swiftly grabs his suitcase and turns to the door. "You're alright, right?" he asks me, stopping just before the door. He really does look concerned.

"I'm fine," I give him a small smile.

"Good," he nods and walks out of the room, closing the door behind him.

_Good_. That's hardly the word I would use to describe my life right now.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, I have a lot of things to say.**

**Firstly, I would like to thank cupcakeriot from the bottom of my heart. She is an amazing beta and has helped me immensely. When I say that Augury would not have existed with out her at the beginning of every chapter, I really do mean it.**

**Secondly, I would like to thank all you for being such great readers. Every review you leave me motivates me to write more. I have become very irregular at replying to your reviews and I'm very sorry for that. I'll rectify that right now.  
**

**gredelina1- Yes, you can it a type of mental connection. Aro wasn't aware of the connection until the first time Bella somehow managed to get inside his head (chapter five). And yes, it's all real, unless you don't believe in magic. ;) Writing long chapters is really not my style but I'm trying.  
**

**debslmac- :)  
**

**muffinmom- The mystery will continue to grow until the very last minute. I hope all your questions are answered. If not, ask away.  
**

**sujari6- Thank you!  
**

**dinotopian- You should thank my beta for that one. She is the one who came up with it.  
**

**angelari7- I hope I managed to explain how the mind connection works. If not, questions are always welcomed.  
**

**maysnrs- One more reason why I love her. She pimps me out too.  
**

**Guest- Thanks. Leave me your name next time so that I can thank you properly.  
**

**Edward's spouse- Thank you.  
**

**frayedbristles- I used a language mixer to create Wolsh Lanjeauju.  
**

**AnnaTheBookWorm- Thankyou.  
**

**And lastly, thank you for reading, reviewing and rec-ing this elsewhere. All the review, follow and favorite alerts never fail to bring a smile on my face. :)  
**

**After re-reading this chapter I just realized that I made it even more confusing for you guys. Wondering how the hell do they control each other? Stay tuned to know more. All questions will eventually be answered. The fun is only starting. Cue evil laugh.  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N:** Beta'd by cupcakeriot. Without her, this would have been impossible.

* * *

**Augury Chapter Ten**

It's unbelievable, really, how a week can change everything.

A week ago, I wasn't a girl who was afraid of her own shadow.

A week ago, I thought I had all the time in the world.

A week ago, my reality wasn't a nightmare.

Like I said, a week is all it takes.

Now, sitting on the dry leaves in a corner of our training field, I gaze at the people who are my entire world.

They are all hiding from me.

I understood this the very moment Em refused to make eye contact with me, instead choosing to give me a short reply and fleeing from the room.

It had hurt. We have never kept anything from each other. Ever. It still hurts when I see Rose give me a meek smile and leave the room whenever I enter it.

It's as if they can't breathe in the same room I'm in.

Dad explained the reason behind their weird behavior the next day. He sat me down beside him, with Peter and Carlisle at his other side and told me what was going on.

"Bell, did Volturi try to break inside your head again?" he asked me.

I answered him by shaking my head. It hadn't happened since that time in the Cullen's living room.

Dad looked me straight in the eye with smoldering intensity. He reached his hand into his jacket pocket and brought out a piece of paper which he passed to me.

"What's this?" I questioned.

"I think you deserve to know why this is happening to you," he replied.

Still confused, I took the paper from him and unfolded it to see words in English written in a beautiful script:

_The one oracle shall not be fulfilled until the time of darkness comes to an end._

_The scarlet eye shall be granted an eternal time of youth._

_The golden swan will shield like the skillful guardian while the leaves wither away._

_The cursed wizard will make his prey cry tears of blood._

_The blessed one shall only unveil the power in the time of desperate need._

_The dissimilarity can be seen with naked eyes, but from within, they will be halves of the whole._

_She will not hurt and he will not bleed._

_But the reign of terror shall finally come to an end when the day will end and the sun will set._

_A victory must take place on the winter solstice._

_One will finally scatter and the other will be named on the pages of history._

_At last, the tale will end and the age of peace will begin._

"T-This―" I stammered.

"This is the one prophecy- the prophecy above all other."

When I didn't answer back, Dad enlightened the references to me. "Now that we know the answer, the meaning is quite obvious. It's all here," Dad points out the third line of the prophecy, "_The golden swan will shield like the skillful guardian_."

I slowly nodded as my brain made the connections.

"Now look at this line here," he continued pointing out the sixth line of the prophecy.

"_The dissimilarity can be seen with naked eyes, but from within, they are halves of the whole_," I read aloud. "Halves of the whole?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes, you and Volturi are twins in a manner,"

"What?" I exploded. I had _nothing_ in common with that monster.

"Shhh, Bell, calm down. Now, can you guess the one thing that is common between twins?"

"Um… their faces, I guess," I answered, unsure.

"No, Bell, think harder. I want you to guess this. What do the twins share that makes them have absolute control over each?"

"It's becoming very rare nowadays," Carlisle provided.

And it clicked.

"The Arweirrr bond?" I ask, shell-shocked.

There were only a few unfortunate twins in this world of Witchcraft and Wizardry who shared the Arweirrr bond. The bond enabled the twins to read each other's mind and share each other's thoughts. In short, the bond enables the twins to have complete power over each other.

"Please don't tell me that Volturi and I share the Arweirrr bond," I cried, desperately.

"I think you do," Dad told me, his eyes looking as if he wished it was otherwise.

'Oh my God!" I hid my face in my hands. "But why is all of this starting _now_? If we share the Arweirrr bond, we shared it from birth. Why is he starting to take control _now_?" I queried.

"My theory is that Volturi wasn't aware of the connection until now. I remember you saying that you were the one in his head the first time this happened. I guess that was when he found out about the bond."

"But, Dad, it doesn't feel like he's trying to control me. I've told you this before."

"Bella, he _can't_ control you. He'll never be able to control you," Peter told me, smiling a Mona Lisa smile.

"But you just said―"

"You're protected by your gift, child," Carlisle said.

When realization hit me, I looked up at Dad- my eyes, questioning. "My shield?"

Dad nodded. "Your shield prevents Volturi from taking complete control over you."

I sighed in relief.

"However, he can read your thought when ever he wants to. Your shield is not strong enough to hold all of him out."

My mind traveled back to that time in the Cullen's living room and I felt a chill ride up my spine. "H-How can I stop him?"

"Billy will show you," Dad said, getting up.

"Dad?"

"Hmm?"

"This why you haven't been telling me what is going on, isn't it? This is why the others have been acting so cold? You think he's going to get in my head and read my thoughts."

"We just don't want to take any chances, Bell," Dad told me, sitting back down and taking my hand in his.

I scooted towards Dad and laid my head on his shoulder. Peter and Carlisle must have left the room because a few moments later, I heard the door being closed. "I told your brother and your friends to keep information away from you as much as possible. It's for your own good, Bell," Dad said, stroking my hair.

"Dad, what's going to happen now?" I whisper.

"Tomorrow, I'm calling all the coven members to the clearing. They need to decide what they are going to do next."

"What do you mean?"

"They have to decide whether they want to leave Forks or stay with us to fight the Volturi."

"But Dad―"

"They should get a choice, Bella. Your mother would have wanted them to have a choice."

Suddenly, I was at a loss for words.

"Bella?"

"Hmm?" I looked up at him curiously.

"If I would have gotten a choice, I would have saved you two. I would have run," he whispered into my hair.

I closed my eyes and tried to fool my heart into believing that everything was alright. I failed yet again.

*.*.*

"My fellow Witches and Wizards, today we all gather here for a very important purpose." My head snaps up when I hear my Dad speak. All the coven members are staring at Dad intently, completely unaware of the tension in the air. Today, the sun is not up in the sky; the sky is not a cloudless blue and the wind is not whistling. It's as if they are sentient of what is about to come.

"I have to make an announcement and I beg you to hear me out before reacting. After I finish speaking, you are free to make a decision and what ever you will decide will be respected by this coven. Are we clear?"

There are a few hums of approval from the crowd.

"The one prophecy is almost fulfilled―" Dad stops when gasps of shock and voices of incredulity are heard. "It is the truth and the sooner you believe it, the better for you. The one prophecy is almost fulfilled and the second witch has finally revealed herself. But don't ask me who it is, because I can't answer that question." Dad stops again to take a deep breath. "All these years we have merely guessed at the outcomes of the fulfillment of the one prophecy and every time, our minds have worked down only one conclusion- a war. A war that will bring about the end of the age of malice. A war that will be the end of _them_."

There is a moment of silence and it feels like all the people gathered in the clearing are all taking breath as one, dreading my father's next words.

"A war is upon us. And now, my friends, it is time for you to make a decision. Are you prepared to sacrifice your lives for the greater good? Are you prepared to risk your lives in order to banish all evil? Are you ready to fight alongside us?"

No one answers. No one moves. It's exactly as I feared.

"The Black family will fight for the coven until their last breath," I hear a familiar voice shout.

_Jacob_.

My head snaps up to find a bulky figure standing right across the field from me, his mouth pulled up in a grin which stretches from ear to ear. I watch as Master Black walks to stand beside my childhood friend. "Spoken like a true Black, my son," he says loudly.

"The Woods offer up their lives to you too," Mr. Wood says, stepping forward.

Following their example, most of the members of the coven steps forward with their heads held high.

"Thank you. Thank you so very much." The emotion in my Dad's voice is unmistakable.

I place a hand over my heart and close my eyes.

_Maybe there's hope after all, Mom._

* * *

**A/N: As always, thank you for supporting my crazy idea. Your reviews are precious to me. And now for the replies:**

Twilight Rocker 12- No, it's not soul mate theory. That would be disgusting. I don't ship Aroella. It's twin theory, if you know what I mean. ;) Thank you for reviewing.  


**AnnaTheBookWorm- Your review just made _my_ day. Thanks a bunch!  
**

**debslmac- :D:D**

sujari6- Bella's not immortal.

gredelina1- Thank you!

**Edward's spouse- Thanks!**

maysnrs- Thank you for reviewing. And you'll get to know what's going on with Cullen in the next chapter and onwards.

majose- **Question answered?**

**dinotopian, angelari7, lacysangles and frayedbristles- Thank you so much! :D**

I know that there is not much of Edward in this chapter, but don't worry, the next chapter will be FILLED with him. Until next time, buh bye!


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N:** Beta'd by cupcakeriot. Without her, this would have been impossible.

* * *

**Augury Chapter Eleven**

"Hey, pretty girl," someone whispers in my ear.

Quickly turning around, I find Jake standing with his arms open. Unable to control my excitement, I launch myself into his arms and burrow my face into his chest. He smells like he always does- like earth, wood and home.

"I missed you so much!" Jake swings me around.

"Jake, it's only been a few months. And what are you doing here anyway? You weren't supposed to be home until Thanksgivings," I say when my feet finally touch the ground.

"I'm just here for the weekend and then I'll be going back to Seattle to wrap up my things and come back home for good," Jake says, casually throwing his arm around me.

"Wait, you're leaving collage? Why?" I yell while Jacob starts walking us toward our friends.

"Collage just isn't me, Bells. Anyway, I'll be happier being back here. I've missed this place."

"You just can't leave collage, Jacob! You were thrilled to get into UDub! What happened all of a sudden―" I suck in a breath when realization hits me. "It's because of the war, isn't it? You're moving back because of the war."

"Bella, collage can wait but _this_… _this_ can't. This is unavoidable."

"But―"

"Bella, you are way more important to me. I'm not losing you," Jake tells me, looking straight into my eyes.

"I take it you know what has been going on," I state, trying to break the sudden tension in the air.

It works.

Jake's mouth twists in a smile and he looks at me with amusement in his eyes. "Yes, I do. But now I'm starting to doubt it. You seem too _tiny_ to possess such _enormous_ power."

"Hey!" I smack his arm. "Great things come in small packages, you know."

"Speaking of small packages, who the hell is that?" Jacob asks me, nodding towards a bouncing figure coming right at us.

"Hello, Jacob Black. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Alice Cullen, Bella's new best friend." Little Thing introduces herself, shaking Jake's outstretched hand vigorously.

"Are you now?" Jake turns to look at me. "Replaced me so quickly, Bells? I'm heart-broken," he sniffs, placing his hand on his heart and feigning hurt.

"Jacob Black," my brother's voice booms.

"Emmett Cullen, get over here, you asshole!" Jake bellows, pulling my brother in for a hug. "Three fucking months have passed and all I get is one e-mail? I didn't expect this from you, brother. It's like you people don't even remember me anymore."

"How can anyone forget _you_, Jake?" Rose says, coming up with Jazz on her tail.

"Rosie!" Jake captures Rose in one of his life-sucking-out hugs.

"Call me that one more time and I'm going to make sure you're the _end_ of the Black bloodline."

Jake audibly gulps as Rose walks away, fuming. She really did hate that nick-name.

"Jazz, as much as I love your sister, she can be a bit of a bitch sometimes," Jake tells Jazz, offering him a hug as well.

Jazz snorts. "Try living with her under the same roof twenty-four seven."

"I heard that!" Rose shouts as Jazz's eyes pop open. _Poor Jazz._

"And just who might this be?" Jake asks us, as Cullen comes up.

"Jake, meet Edward Cullen. He's Carlisle and Esme's son. And Edward, this is Jacob Black, our childhood friend. We call him family," Em introduces them.

"So, this is the mind reader?" Jake shakes Cullen's hand, looking him up and down.

"Telepath, actually," Cullen corrects him. He must have said something else to Jacob with his powers because a few moments later Jake gasps. "Amazing!"

"Jacob, my son!" Dad calls out.

"Charlie!" They hug each other and I can finally see a smile on Dad's face after many days. He's elated to have his favorite fishing buddy back. I was never much into outdoor stuff and Em was always too busy with his video games to go hiking and fishing with Dad; but Jake was always there. Sometimes Em and I suspected that Dad loved Jake more than he loved us. But, like Em said, Jake is practically family.

"Bella?" I look up at Dad when he calls my name. "It's time."

I place my hand in his and follow him to the center of the field where the coven members are still waiting for further information.

"Dear friends, before I proceed any further, I would like to ask you all for a favor."

"What is it, Charlie?"

"Give me your oath. Give this coven your oath, your promise, your vow that you will not betray it's trust."

For a moment, the only sound is of the bird's chirping.

"What happens if we break our word? If we decide to leave in the end?" A person in the back questions.

Growls and snarls of outrage sound from somewhere behind me. I snap around to find a large russet wolf standing a few feet away from us, ready to pounce. Pieces of debris, which were once Jacob's clothes, surround us.

"Jacob!" Dad warns. Jake lets out another low growl and slowly backs away. I move to go stand beside him, leaning on his soft fur and trying to calm him down. This is Jake's number one weakness; he is short-tempered. He looses his cool very easily and gives in to his gift of shape-shifting.

"Nothing happens if you break the vow. But I request you, if you have to leave, leave now. You will not be betraying this coven's trust and you will not be considered as a coward. But if you leave after you have given this coven your vow, you will not belong to this coven anymore," Dad says, his eyes hard as steel.

"Then by all respect, Charlie, I would like to leave. It's just not my own life in the line but my wife and children's too. I can't put them in danger like that," The man in the back whispers, slowly coming forward.

"Wise decision, my friend," Dad tells him, giving him a small smile. "Peter, if you will," Dad gestures Peter to go forward.

"Please place your hand on the earth." Peter instructs. When the man does as he is told, Peter starts talking again. "Do you, David Green, wizard of spell, take back your promise of supporting and being a part of this coven?"

The man closes his eyes for a moment and then replies. "I do."

It starts from the man's torso - a mysterious, golden glow lights up the center of his body and then slowly travels down his arm and into the earth where it disappears into nothingness.

"You are no longer a part of this coven."

The man stands up and nods at my father, who nods back, and then backs away.

I always wanted to watch the ritual of _Dafarulrailrlarr_ and finally my wish had come true. But under the circumstances, I wish it had never occured. We are already down to a low number as it is.

"Anyone else?" Dad questions, looking at the crowd.

Another man slowly comes forward. "I'm sorry, Charlie," he says, staring at my father.

"I completely understand," my father replies.

After the ritual has been carried out one more time and the coven has lost one more member, my father turns to the gathering. "I would like you all to know that I am immensely grateful to you. Thank you for staying behind. I have no idea how I can repay you."

"You can start by telling us who the witch is," a man says, smiling.

Dad looks uneasy. "It is my daughter," he almost whispers, as if he is afraid of saying it out loud.

"Bella?" Someone cries. Gasps sound all over the clearing.

"Yes, it _is_ my daughter," Dad tells them, gesturing me come and stand beside him. When I do so, he wraps his arm around me. Dad answers every question asked while I just stand there and stare.

_They have it wrong._

_I can't be the witch they are talking about._

_I just can't._

_Can I?_

Dad shakes me and brings me out of my inner turmoil. "You okay, Bell?" he asks, looking concerned. I nod.

"C'mon, every one is starting training. The coven members will be joining us today." He starts walking us to where every one else is standing.

"Bella?" I hear Master Black call when we come within hearing range.

"I'm here."

"Since you are unfamiliar with both the Cullens, I want you to work with them today. Rose will make them move and we'll see how much you can prevent them form moving. Are we clear? Now please excuse me, I have to go see what those boys are up to," Master strides away, searching for Em and Jake.

"Ready, girlfriend?" Rose raises an eyebrow.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I answer.

"Where do you want us?" Cullen questions, looking at me. I point him and Little Thing to a position some what a mile away from where we are standing.

When Little Thing waves her hand, I force my shield away from me and closer to them.

_Little by little_.

Within a few more moments, my shield completely envelops the two figures, protecting them from the light pinches of Rose's gift which I can now feel on my back.

I turn to face Rose, who is looking at me sourly.

"_Bella?"_

I gasp in shock and my shield snaps back with such force that I am thrown backwards on the ground.

Chaos erupts all around me and I can hear screams and pads of feet running towards me, but my eyes are fixed on one astounded pair of green eyes. The shock quickly fades away from them and the green orbs shine with amusement.

_What. The. Hell._

* * *

**A/N: You see what I did there? ;D Okay, reply time!**

**AnnaTheBookWorm- Here is more. Keep reviewing like that and you'll get much, much, much more! ;)**

**debslmac- :D**

**frayedbristles- Good question. You see, Em and Bella do not share the Arweirr bond. That's why Em is not affected by Aro's intrusion in Bella's head. They may have shared a womb but they don't share the connection. And just for clarification, Reene did not have golden eyes. Bella only had dreams of Reene with golden eyes. Check chapter four. There is Reene's description in the bottom.  
**

**sujari6- Yes, they do. Thanks for reviewing again.  
**

**And Twilight Rocker 12, dinotopian, maysnrs, Edward's spouse, angelari7- Thank you for reviewing! Hope you liked the chapter.  
**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N:** Beta'd by cupcakeriot. Without her, this would have been impossible.

* * *

**Augury Chapter 13**

"So, maybe Edward can read Bell's mind. _Big deal_! I don't understand why you guys are so worked up about this," Em said, stuffing his mouth with Esme's muffins.

The chorus of, "Shut up, Emmett," sounds in the room just as the front door slams shut.

"Everyone is gone. They are unhappy that we had to cut the training session short and are concerned because they don't have enough information to prepare themselves. And they are right to be concerned, Charlie. We'll never be prepared for what's coming at the pace we're going." Peter heads straight for the empty arm-chair.

After what happened at the training field, Charlie called off the practice and hurried us all to the house beside the lake. He's been pacing furiously for the last few minutes and judging by the way Carlisle is staring at him, I think we're in for a big shock. Yet again.

Every eye in the room is on Charlie. The seconds drag by as we wait for him to still and speak. In the mean time, I scoot down to the corner of the couch and cuddle up, resting my head on a soft, cotton pillow. Rose, who is sitting beside me, reaches out to slide her fingers past mine and squeeze my hand. I look over at her and give her a meek smile. She knows how I'm feeling right now. She knows that I'm at my wit's end.

Green eyes pull at me. I turn my head to look at my father again, refusing to make eye contact. I'm about to snap and I don't want my friends and family to be present when I finally give up.

My father turns to look at the only person I would rather not look at right now.

"Can you hear her now?" The question is simple and clear and it pierces through my heart like a dagger. _Can he really hear me now?_

Cullen doesn't say anything. Instead, he shakes his head.

"How is that possible? One second he's hearing Bella and then he's not?" Esme speaks up.

I already know the answer to that question but, for some unknown reason, my mouth stays shut. I close my eyes and silently wish for a miracle.

"It's Bella's shield," Charlie mutters the answer I already know. "When people are under the protection of her shield, they can use their own powers against her."

"So, when Edward was under Bella's shield…" Esme wanders off.

"The shield no longer guarded only Bella. It protected both Edward and Bella from the external forces. And that leaves both of them defenseless from the forces within the shield." Charlie finishes, putting the puzzle pieces together.

A moment of silence passes and the tension in the room reaches it's peak. Before anyone can say anything else a booming voice speaks― "I still don't get it."

I roll my eyes and I'm sure my Dad does too.

"Okay, how about this? Right now Bell is not guarding anyone but herself. So, right now, imagine her clothes as the shield. If someone attacks us now, we'll all be defenseless except Bella. But when she decides to protect us, her shield expands. Picture it like… uh… an umbrella. It covers us all and protects everyone under it from the attackers," Dad explains using his hands to help every one visualize.

I didn't know that Dad had such detailed knowledge about my shield. I guess that's what you get when you spend the majority of your life traveling around the world and meeting different witches and wizards with various gifts. My father has profound knowledge on what we are and how we came to be. A few years ago he told me that he was writing a book about it and when I asked if I could read it, he simply answered by saying―

"One day." Now, I just hope to live until that day.

"We become immune to the attackers but at the same time we become defenseless towards the people within the shield. That means that while under Bella's shield, Edward can read Bella's mind and―"

"I can control her," Rose finishes for Dad.

And there it is. My second blow. Jasper's head snaps up as an acute pain shoots through my heart. I turn my head away to refrain from looking into his eyes full of sympathy for me. However, I can't stop the tears that sting my eyes.

"Yes," Dad nods, finally looking at me. "Can you try to shield again so that we…"

_So that you can see how powerless I really am? Sure Dad, just kill me why don't you?_

I jump out of the couch, startling everyone, and stomp towards Em. "Give me the keys," I demand.

His brows push together to form a frown as he looks down at my extended arm. "Bell, it's already dark. I don't think that's such a good idea. And it's been months since you've driven―"

"Don't you fucking dare give me that. I'm just as good a driver as you and you know it. Now give me the fucking keys, damn it!" My loud voice cuts Em off.

If I wasn't seconds away from breaking down, I would have probably burst out laughing. Em's face is priceless as he brings out the keys and drops them on my out stretched palm. Grabbing my jacket, I race to the car and jump in. My hair is wild from running in the wind and my heart is beating a million times a minute. Hoping for some space to clear my throbbing head, I start the car and stir it down the familiar path that lead home.

For all I understand, I'm a victim of fate.

Fate is why I was standing at the door steps of death.

Fate is cruel.

But fate is also kind.

Fate is why a certain silver Volvo was following me home.

_-x-_

* * *

**A/N:** (Peeks out from under a rock)* Hi, guys! Now before you start throwing things at me, let me just say that I'm extremely sorry for disappearing so suddenly. My exams were going on and when they finished, my computer died. So, yeah...

Anyway, I am back now and I'll be posting once in two days from the 15th of June. There is also one more announcement. Even though this story is not tagged as angsty... it will be. Simply because I cannot write a story with out angst in it. So, be warned.

Let me know your thoughts about this chapter! Bye!


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